Southern Highlands Community Hospice says 'thanks' on Volunteer Week

Southern Highland News sat down with representatives of the charity organisation on the eve of Volunteers Week to better understand the vital role it plays in supporting Highlands community members.

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Board chair and director Peter Morris said SHCH used to have four shops across Mittagong and Bowral. However, two years ago the decision was taken to consolidate them into one "more high-profile site".

"That's on Bong Bong Street and we rebranded it to Timeless. It's pre-loved clothing, furniture, accessories, paintings and jewellery; and it's pretty amazing for an op-shop," Mr Morris said.

"It's probably the best model in Australia to be perfectly honest. We're turning over about $60,000 a month. It's a lot of money and that's from selling clothing for $20 and $40."

The furniture sells for higher prices and the store has built a loyal list of buyers including locals and retailers from Sydney; and even some people who work in television and film.

Mr Morris' face lights up when talking about the store. He ran his own advertising firm in Sydney but moved to the Highlands about four years ago.

"When we moved down here I was asked to do a workshop and a brand positioning exercise for the charity as a result of the constitution being changed," he said.

Up to that point SHCH's agenda was to raise money that would fund the building of a hospice facility.

"When they decided they were no longer going to build the hospice they had to formally get approval to change the constitution to commit to supporting and funding palliative care in the Southern Highlands," Mr Morris said.

"So when I joined there was no funding for anything occurring at that time. We did the workshop and came up with the positioning, which I did pro-bono and then afterwards, I had all of these ideas and I was asked if I would like to join the board."

And in the two years since, SHCH has been able to make a significant difference, according to Mr Morris.

"We're lucky in that we have considerable funds that were invested that were generated through donations in the early days when the hospice was first proposed," he said.

"The funding of the construction and running of that hospice was way beyond anything that we could generate; millions and millions of dollars without any government support."

SHCH was unable to secure an agreement from the NSW Government that it would fund the hospice running costs once it was built.

"The build would have been about $18 million and then the running costs per year would have been about $3 million on a 35-year lease. It just wasn't a good business model," Mr Morris said.

"Instead we've invested that money into services. And the next stage is something really innovative that we're very excited about but we're just not allowed to talk about it yet."

He said the reason SHCH was so successful was due to its dedicated volunteers and loyal customer base.

"We find these opportunities and we just burrow in and find a way to make it work," he said. "And then it works and it becomes a really important part of how palliative care works in this area."

Fellow board member and co-ordinator of SHCH services Sandra Hiscock said the charity aimed to fill a need in an innovative way.

"I wasn't going to be a volunteer but I was a volunteer in the furniture store in Mittagong when I retired from teaching," Ms Hiscock said. "And then when that closed and SHCH was starting to deliver services I thought I would get involved with the palliative care volunteers."

Her role looks different to that of Mr Morris. She has been a "carer volunteer" since SHCH began delivering local services.

"That was in October of last year. We began training in May and it was difficult to start because it was the first time it had every happened," Ms Hiscock said.

"We had wonderful training delivered by PaCSA [Palliative Care Self Assessment]; it was three-hours training daily over three days."

Since that time SHCH has trained 21 carer volunteers.

"At the moment we have 14 active carer volunteers; it's enough to have a palliative care person at both Harbison sites every day," Ms Hiscock said.

The training focuses on the stages of death and helps volunteers to recognise the signs.

"It's about what it looks like when people die; the stages and what it looks like. And not being confronted or afraid of that but to work with it," Ms Hiscock said.

"And then it's about how to look after yourself because sometimes it can be fairly traumatic being with somebody who's there one minute and gone the next."

For all of these reasons being a carer volunteer is not for everyone.

"And from a personal perspective I'm not; I spend a lot of time with the shop," Mr Morris said.

"We see ourselves as a bank and we basically fund the services like the biography service; the bereavement services that we do; we're also providing support mechanisms for people that are in a palliative state.

"The carer role is the principal role and the one with most relevance and most impact to the community because it's filling a gap; 80 to 85 per cent of people who are in aged care facilities just don't have relatives or people visiting and when they're facing death, they know it. They're frightened and scared and lonely," he said.

They're also "stoic" according to Ms Hiscock who said she was constantly amazed by people that are close to dying.

SHCH has a system in place at Harbison in Moss Vale and Burradoo supported by the nurses and clinical staff.

"They give us a list of people they've identified and it's not always end of life - in fact it is better if we can build relationships with people before they get to that point because there's that trust. You sort of develop relationships with people and then we work it out from there," Ms Hiscock said.

"I probably see six people a week; sometimes it's more. I've probably supported a dozen people since I started volunteering. The first death is most difficult."

Having only just begun last year the carer volunteers services are still in the "early stages".

"One of the challenges is trying to get clearances for people because so many people weren't born in Australia. They've lived here for thirty or forty years but they haven't got a Visa so the one of the big challenges is getting the NDIS workers check," Ms Hiscock said.

"The other thing that I'm noticing more is people aged in their thirties and forties that are at end of life. They only have a few weeks and months and we've supported a few of them recently; three at the moment."

Overall the service has about 80 volunteers working to support the charity's mission to provide a range of services that enable compassionate support for Highlands residents requiring palliative care.

The funding raised helps support pharmaceuticals, equipment and in-home care including nursing and carer support. And its underpinned by a dynamic team of volunteers, some working in the retail outlet and others as palliative care volunteers at Harbison or as part of the trained biography team who work to document memories, photographs and stories.

"The aim has been to enable volunteers to specifically support residents living in residential aged care facilities who are coming to the end of their lives, by provided much needed company and friendship," Ms Hiscock said.

In 2022 SHCH provided $94,591.18 to the residents of Harbison for palliative care medications, additional specialist nursing and the purchase of four much needed syringe drivers to deliver medications.

"SHCH funds are all raised through our retail outlet Timeless in Bowral and through fundraiser functions held throughout the year. Generous donations of quality furniture and fashion stock the shop and volunteers and SHCH members ensure the smooth running of the charity's many ventures," Ms Hiscock said.

If you're interested in becoming a palliative care volunteer please email service@shchospice.org.au or phone Sandra on 0418 649 488. If you would like to donate please contact Sarah on 0421 445 517 or email sarah.bevis@shchospice.org.au.

On Wednesday, May 24 the Empire Cinema in Bowral will screen Live the Life You Please for national Palliative Care Week. Tickets cost $15.50 and the screening will be followed by a Q&A session. The film is an intimate portrait of the end of life experience and makes profound observations about life, death and what happens in between.

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